Alright. A theoretical question. Given that the ocean water can only get so warm and physics is constant, what could be the strongest hurricane in terms of lowest central pressure and sustained wind speed? There would have to be a limit given the ocean water with a given specific gravity and maximum temp ever recorded. What would be the limit on how small the eye could be? The relationship between the central pressure and the maximum sustained wind speed is obvious but not always the same given that some storms could have the same maximum sustained wind speed but different central pressures recorded at the same time. So that means that there are some other variables involved in influencing that relationship otherwise the same central pressure would always be related to the same maximum sustained wind speed. What are those variables?

James, Camille was the second strongest hurricane to hit the USA. Although, the wind gust were 200mph. Sustained winds 175 with a pressure of 909mb. Number 3 was Andrew follow by Charley, Hugo, and Katrina. A hurricane hit the keys with a pressure of 892mb in 1932 making it the strongest.

The eye provides a natural constraint over a storm's intensity. Inherent to hurricanes -- other than the intense but steady-state and rare annular storms -- are the eyewall replacement cycles. An inner eye can only get so small; if it were to contract to a small enough radius, the necessary subsidence in the center of the storm to keep it in balance -- as manifest by the eye -- erodes, throwing the storm out of balance and ensuring a weakening cycle to come to account for the imbalance. The eyewall replacement cycles are a way to maintain this balance, replacing the inner eyewall every so often and repeating the intensification/weakening scenario again and again.

Further, hurricanes are like a Carnot cycle of limited efficiency; they are only as efficient as the environment will let them be. The maximum potential intensity formulation (see http://wxmaps.org) provides an idea of how strong hurricanes can be under such a cycle when taking into account sea surface temperatures and temperatures at upper levels, a maximum that is very rarely exceeded, and probably provides the best representation of what you are looking for. But do remember, the majority of storms do not come within 20mb of their MPI -- and most are even further away.

I find too many 3letter terms and names suxh as typhoon tips difficult as best to understabd what is being said! please remember that there are a lot of oeople out here that are scared about the possibility of facing a natural diaster. and it is good to know about these possible evewnts and how severe they can be.

I think the simple way to look at this issue is that there is not likely to be any one hurricane/tropical cyclone that develops wind speeds significantly faster than storms already observed over the past 100 years because of the limitations of the physics of the air spinning in the eyewall and the phenomenon of the most intense inner eyewall breaking down during replacement cycles. However, if the sea surface temperatures and ocean heat content remain at record levels, the areas for potential development of the strongest storms that Clark referenced will remain larger and more storms may develop into the major hurricanes that cause the most damage (and angst).

I.E. we will not likely see 250 MPH sustained winds but may see more storms with winds getting into Cat 3 or greater

Severe Tropical Cyclone Ingrid caused significant impact on the Australian coast in March 2005. It was unusual in that it is the only cyclone in recorded history to impact, as a severe tropical cyclone, on the coastline of three different States or Territories. It crossed the Queensland east coast south of Lockhart River at Category 4; moved across the Gulf into the Northern Territory and impacted on the small islands north of the Arnhem Land coast as a Category 5 cyclone; weakened slightly to Category 4 as it crossed Croker Island and the Cobourg Peninsula; was at Category 3 intensity as it traversed the Tiwi Islands north of Darwin; and finally reintensified to Category 4, before making a final landfall on the West Australian Kimberley coast at that intensity.

Ingrid was a small cyclone in size, but very intense, not unlike Cyclone Tracy that devastated Darwin in 1974. For this reason, communities more than 100 km from Ingrid's path (like Darwin) were affected only slightly. Also, while some significant rainfall was reported, (eg 445mm in 24 hours at Emma Gorge in the Kimberley) the amounts were not as remarkable as those reported after some other larger, but less intense cyclones in the past.

Large sea swells outside of Australia's warning area caused a boat to capsize near Kerema in Papua New Guinea, resulting in the loss of five lives. Despite the widespread impact area of this cyclone, and the wind strengths experienced, there have been no reports of serious injury or death in Australia. Community feedback has shown that this was largely due to the accuracy and timeliness of the Cyclone Watches and Warnings.
Track

On 3 March a tropical low developed north of the Gulf of Carpentaria, then drifted eastwards into the Coral Sea. It developed into a tropical cyclone on 6 March and turned back towards the Queensland coast as it rapidly intensified, reaching Category 5 at 9am on 8 March. Over the next week, the cyclone followed a relatively straight course to the west-northwest, then west. It crossed Cape York Peninsula into the Gulf of Carpentaria on 10 March, temporarily weakening over land, but gathered strength extremely rapidly as it headed for the NE corner of the Territory. It passed just north of Nhulunbuy on the morning of 12 March, and then travelled along the north coast of the Top End and the Tiwi Islands before moving offshore into the Timor Sea. At this stage, it changed direction towards the southwest, ploughing into the Kimberley coast near Kalumburu on the evening of 15 March. It weakened as it moved inland, finally decaying below cyclone strength on the morning of 17 March after passing Wyndham.
Impact

The cyclone crossed Cape York Peninsula at a remote location, however at the coastal crossing point a substantial number of trees were defoliated, stripped of bark, and felled. A 2.7m storm tide also inundated the coast 60km south of the Lockhart River township.

Communities along the north coast of the Northern Territory were not so lucky. Widespread tree damage and moderate damage to infrastructure was reported along the Arnhem Land coast. Six ships in a local pearling fleet were sunk or damaged. There was evidence suggesting a storm surge of several metres at Drysdale Island. The school at Gawa, on the northern tip of Elcho Island, received substantial damage, and the people of the nearby Nanginyburra community were unable to return home for several months due to the number of fallen trees. Although Ingrid had weakened slightly, there was still widespread damage at the Minjilang community on Croker Island, with around 20% of buildings losing some or all of their roofing. The cyclone had weakened further before reaching the Tiwi Islands, so damage to buildings was limited, although vegetation, powerlines and similarly exposed structures did suffer significant damage. Darwin was spared the major wrath of the cyclone with gusty winds and rain only causing minor problems with unstable trees.

In Western Australia, the cyclone seriously damaged the remote resort of "Faraway Bay", northeast of Kalumburu. Vegetation was stripped, and several buildings were destroyed. The accompanying storm tide deposited boats about 100 metres inland and several metres above the usual high tide mark. Luckily the resort was closed for the off-season and the caretakers took shelter in a shipping container secured in concrete to withstand cyclones. At Kalumburu several houses were unroofed but in general structures withstood the cyclone. Floodwaters cut the Great Northern Highway near Kununurra and isolated some properties.
Rainfall

The map below shows rainfall during the week ending 9am on 18 March 2005. The effects of Ingrid in the NT and WA can be seen. The cyclone had cleared Queensland at the beginning of this period, however rainfall in Queensland due to the cyclone had been less significant.
rainfall during the week ending 9am on 18 March 2005
Observations summary
Maximum Reported Wind Gust

Just this season we can say we lived thru 3 of the top 6 all time in the Atlantic Basin. I for one thought the '35 Keys Labor Day storm would be untouchable for both rapid intensification and low pressure -- But Wilma has definitely reset the standard

actually in my opinion monica could have easily topped tips pressure but the real pressure on monica will probably never be known.Ive never seen such a perfect CDO like the one monica had when she was at peak intensity,it was truly a sight to see.

Good day to stop and remember what happened in Miami in 1926 from a strong Cat 4 Hurricane.

If such a storm hit Miami dead on today like that it would make the figures from Katrina and Ike pale in comparison in dollar amount of damages alone and loss of life would hopefully be not as bad but hard to imagine such a storm if it took that exact path today.

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